Eraser cleaner



May 6, 1930.

J. F. PALMER ERASER CLEANER Filed Dec. 12,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. E Palmer May 6, 1930. J. F. PALMER 1,157,545

A ERASER CLEANER Filed Dec. 12, 192'? 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented May 6, 1930 PATENT FFifiE JOHN FREDERICK PALMER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN ERASER CLEANER Application filed December 12, 1927. Serial No. 239,471.

This invention relates to eraser cleaners.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel form of eraser cleaner for blackboard erasers which is so constructed that it will rapidly clean the erasers as they are slid across its top or table portion, which will withdraw the removed chalk by means of suction, and which is so constructed that it is impossible to overload the driving motor irrespective of how tightly the erasers may be pressed into contact with the brush.

Further objects are to provide an eraser cleaner in which reduction mechanism is provided for driving the brush so that the brush acts primarily as a heater to dislodge the chalk without causing undue wear upon the eraser and to supplement this action by a suction of sufiicient amount to thoroughly clean the eraser.

Further objects are to provide a novel form of eraser a cleaner in which the table across which the erasers are slid is adjustable so that it may be lowered to compensate for wearing of the bristles, and to thus prolong the active life of the brush.

Further objects are to provide a device a such as described above in which an attachment is readily applied thereto or removed therefrom in a simple and expeditious manner, so as to adapt the device for cleaning out the chalk troughs of the blackboards.

Further objects are to provide a cleaner for erasers which is of compact, unitary design, and which is extremely simple in construction. a

a An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

I the attachment removed;

Figure 5 is a view from the underside of the attachment.

Referring to'the drawings, it will be seen i that the device comprises a body portion consisting of a main casing 1 which tapers downwardly and opens into the fan casing 2. The fan casing is provided with a discharge portion 3 adapted to receive a chalk receiving bag. The upper portion of the casing 1 terminates a material distance above the fan casing 2, and is provided with a table top 4 adjustably mounted thereon and provided with guiding flanges 5 (see Figure 1) which fit around the upper end of the casing 1. The casing is also provided with a plurality of lugs 6 into which screws 7 are threaded. These screws 7 pass through the table 4, as shown in Figures 1 and 1, and compression springs 8 loosely surround the screws and hold the table top spaced upwardly a slight distance depending upon the setting of the screws.

The table top is provided with a cutout or brushes, so that if the brushes do not remove 7 all of the chalk, that any remaining chalk will be sucked out through the slots 10 and. will not be carried from the table. Further, it is obvious that the crasers may be run either longitudinally back and forth or transversely back and forth across the table, thus allowing the looped erasing portions to be opened up slightly by the brushes.

Within the casing, a rotary brush 11 is carried by a transverse horizontal shaft 12. This brush is provided with widely spaced rows of bristles 13. The bristles are adapted to project slightly through the opening 9 and to engage the under face of erasers as they are slid across the table top a. The shaft 12 is journalled in bosses carried by the main cas ing, as shown in Figure 2, and is rigidly keyed to a grooved pulley 14:. An electric motor 15 has a small driving pulley 16 mounted upon its shaft 17, and this pulley 16 is connected by means of the belt 18 with the pulley 14:, thus providing a reduction drive between the motor and the brush.

Further, it is to be noted that the fan casing 2 is formed integrally with the main casing 1, and that a rotary fan 19 is rigidly carried by the motor shaft.

From Figures 1 and 2, it is clear that the lower end of the main casing 1 gradi zally contracts and is slanted or curved so that it leads in a uniformly contracting manner into the opening to the fan casing, thus guiding the chalk dust with the utmost freedom and without any danger of packing or lodging in the several parts.

The device may be provided with feet 20 (see Figure 1) and with a guiding lug 21. These feet may be secured to a board 22 or,

if desired, the device-maybe permanently secured inplace upon a table top although it is preferable to provide for its ready removal as, for example, by attaching it to 'a base board22, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

When the bristles have become worn slight ly, the screws 7 are adjusted to further compress the springs 8 and to thus lower the table top and permit the correct engagement between the bristles and the erasers as they are passed along the table top. This inate'rially lengthens the effective and active life of the apparatus as it allows thebrush to be efliciently used although its bristles are partly worn.

It is desirable to provide for cleaning the chalk trough of the blackboard. This is readily secured-by providing a hollow attachment 23 (see Figures 2 and 5) which is of tubular construction and provided with a manipnlating handle 24. This attachment is provided with side flanges 25 which fit within the slots 10and is also provided with rearwardly projectinglips 26 integral with the flanges, the lips being adapted to fit in the rear portion of the slots 10, and the flanges being notched to insure a secure interlocking of the parts, as shown in Figure 2.

Furthenit is to be noted that the forward "I portion of the flange 5 of 'the table top is provided with a recess into which a spring pressed plunger 27 mayvpass. This plunger is carried b lugs 28 integral with the attachment. bviously, therefore, it is a simple matter to either attach or detach the attachment and when attached, it will be noted that the device is substantially a unitary structure and may be readily handled or carried by the manipulating handle 24.

The rear portion of the attachment 23 opens into the aperture 9 and its forward end is also provided with an aperture 29 (see Figures 2 and 5). Further, the forward portion the device is contracted and is provided with bristles 30 which project downwardly and outwardly from the forward or upturned end of the attachment. These bristles and the forward end of the att'achmei'it may be positioned within a chalk trough while the ,inotor is in active operation and the device may be slid along picking up chalk dust or other particles from the chalk trough.

be readily removed by Withdrawing the pin or i plunger 27 and unlatching the attachment from the device. Thereafter, the device is adapted for use as previously described.

It will be seen that an eraser cleaner has been provided which is of extremely simple construction, which is so made that it is impossible-to overload the motor as the belt will slip if too great a pressure is applied to the brush.

It will be seen further that the brush is U casing and also rigid with the motor casing. 1

This thus provides a very compact, unitary device which is easy to handle and which is of attractive and pleasing appearance.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such'description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may bevari-ously embodied-and as the scope of such invention is 'to'be deter- 'mined as claimed.

Iclaim: p w 1. An eraser cleaner comprising :a main casing having an enlarged open upper end and having 'a contracted lower end, a fan casingri'gid with said mainc-asing, said main casing openingat its lower end into the 's'uction portion ofsaid fan casing, a fan mounted within said fan casing and having a shaft, means for driving said shaft, a rotary brush mounted upon a horizontal shaft and driven from said first mentioned shaft, said rotary brush being positioned withinsaid main casing adjacent its upper por-tion,a11d' a table car-ried'by the upper "portion of said :in'ain casing and having an opening through which said brush is adapted to operate, said table being provided with means telescopically related to said main casing, a plurality of screws passing through said table aincl into a portion of said ni'ain casing, and "res i li ei'it means interposed between said rnai'n casing and said table top. w I '2. A cleaner of the class described, i-ii'cIl-ndmg a main casing, a removable cover plate therefor, said plate having an opening and slots upon opposite sides of the opening, a

brush adapted to ope-rate through the open ing, and suction meansin t-he-easingand earnanu nicatin'g with saiaopening and sisters collect dust loosened by said br-u h. r

a A cleaner ofthe ds-scribed, iar-51nd:

ing a main casing, internally threaded lugs carried by the casing adjacent its upper end, a removable cover plate, downturned flanges on the plate embracing the open end of the casing, screw members passing through the plate and engaged with the lugs for adjusting the plate toward and away from the open end of the casing, and coil springs mounted upon the screws and disposed between the cover plate and the lugs.

4. A cleaner of the class described, including a main casing, a removable cover for the 'open end of the casing, having an opening and slots upon opposite sides of the opening, a rotatable brush in the casing adapted to operate through the opening, lugs carried by the casing adjacent the open end thereof, screw members passing through the plate and threaded into the lugs, whereby to adjust the plate relative to the casing, spring members arranged between the cover plate and the lugs, suction means in the casing communicating with said opening and slots to collect dust loosened by said brush.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visoonsin.

JOHN FREDERICK PALMER. 

